


Ace of My Heart

by Mantabel



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: F/M, I love Asahi so much, Original Character(s), POV First Person, Some Humor, Some angst, Teen Romance, Volleyball, We love an awkward teen story., haikyuu fanfic - Freeform, maybe drama, the new girl in town, there are dead parents, transfer student
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-21
Updated: 2021-02-16
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:08:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 16,522
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28226673
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mantabel/pseuds/Mantabel
Summary: My name is Mayu Nishikawa. I'm 17 years old, I'm over 170 cm tall, and I am one of four sisters. It is my 3rd and final year of high school. I should be spending it with my friends, playing volleyball, and just enjoying my time till I enter into college. However, life has a funny way changing things up on you. Now, I am a student at Karasuno High with no direction on where my life will take me. My elder sisters have put off college for now and my younger sister is putting on a brove front for everyone, while I try to fade into the background of what I thought I was. Yet, breaking a glass window would prove that volleyball isn't done with me yet.
Relationships: Azumane Asahi/Original Female Character(s), Azumane Asahi/Reader
Comments: 1
Kudos: 17





	1. New School

I looked at myself in the mirror as I had on my high school uniform for Karasuno High. The skirt was too short and the shirt was too tight, highly inappropriate for any teenage girl to work. I let out a defeated groan as I pulled out my old high school uniform from the last school I attended. The brown skirt fell to my calves and the white shirt was loose enough that I could breathe. I heard a knock at my door before seeing my eldest sister, Momoko, pop her head through a small opening.

“Oh… You’re wearing that?” she said as looked me over with a confused expression on her face.

“The uniform Sasaki-san order for me is far too small,” I answered as I folded the white shirt and grey skirt to place in my backpack, “I’ll see if I can exchange it today, but I doubt it.”

“Why?” she smirked as she leaned against the doorframe, “Afraid they’ve never seen a girl quite as tall as you?”

I shot her a warning glare before grabbing my bag and pushing passed her to get downstairs.

“Lighten up a little, Mayu,” she said as she followed me down the stairs, “He is trying.”

I didn’t answer her as we walked into the small dining area where youngest Miku was busy playing on her Nintendo switch while I could hear Miho in the kitchen harmonizing with our new “guardian”. Miku didn’t look up from her game as I took my seat next to her. She didn’t seem to be having uniform issues this morning as her middle school uniform fit her like a glove. It must be nice to a normal height at 14 and being a giant like me at just 17.

“Breakfast is served,” sang Miho as her and Sasaki-San walked out from the kitchen with serving dishes of food.

“Mayu-chan,” Sasaki-san spoke as Miho and Momoko set the table, “you’re not wearing your school uniform.”

“It was the wrong size,” I answered as I began to serve myself.

The older man let out an awkward chuckle as he took his seat at the table.

“I’m sorry. I just never expected you to be so tall…”

“It’s fine, Hayate-kun,” Momoko said on my behalf, “The last you saw us Miku was still a baby.”

He let out a defeated sigh as he ran his fingers through his dark brown locks, thick curls that reminded me of what our mom’s hair was like.

“She would write to me every new year about how you girls were doing,” he began as he took his glasses off to pinch his nose, “I guess she never mentioned height.”

I finished up my rice as Miku slurped the last of her soup.

“First day of school, huh, Miku?” Miho enquired with a wiggle of her eyebrows, “Excited about going to high school?”

“Not really,” she answered as took her wide-rimmed glasses off to clean them, “It just like any other school.”

I watched Miho try to convince Miku how much of a big deal it was or at least to make the atmosphere lighter than it had felt these past few weeks. It still felt so surreal, like at any moment I would wake up in my own bed back in Yokohama with our mother greeting us with a big breakfast as our father sat at the head of the table reading the newspaper. At last, that was not the case and I would be spending my 3rd year away from my friends I had known since grade school, living with an uncle I could hardly remember meeting.

He introduced himself as Hayate Sasaki, a younger brother of our mom. He was very tall and slim with striking blue eyes hidden behind dark-framed glasses. Our parents’ lawyer had told us that he would have guardianship over Miku and me since we were not of legal age to live on our own. Miho was a sobbing mess, begging with Sasaki-san to not break up the family.

_“We’re all that we have left now. Please.”_

Unfortunately, Sasaki-san lived further north in the Miyagi Prefecture. As much as he didn’t want to separate us from each other, it was the unfortunate reality as Momoko was nearly done with college and Miho was about to start her first year of music school.

_“I’ll wait the year,”_ Miho said, _“I don’t have to go right away. Besides, you’re not married and these girls need a woman’s touch after all.”_

_“I’ll wait too,”_ Momoko joined in, _“I can get a job somewhere to help with expenses.”_

_“Please keep us together,”_ they had begged him and he relented.

“We’re off,” I called behind me as I put on my shoes.

“I probably won’t be home till late,” Momoko said as she handed Miku and me our lunches, “but you can stop by the convenience store to say hi. I’m sure Ukai-san won’t mind.”

“Yeah, since he has a crush on you,” Miku responded in a dry tone.

“What? He does not!” Momoko answered getting flustered as we waved bye.

Momoko would never admit that anyone would like her. She was one of the most popular girls in her class with long, dark curls and a cute smile as well. She is super smart as she graduated top of her class. While studying at college she was working on her degree to become an accountant, however, since the move, she hasn’t seemed to find the desire to go back to school. It was out of sheer luck she got a job at the Sakanoshita Store when moved during the summer. She will work open to close if needed and often stays afterward to work the books for the owner, Keishin Ukai. He was a tall man with a wide built, almost intimidating, but he softened around my sister. He walked her home every night she stayed late at the store, carrying groceries she had purchase or maybe her bag, and never said no to when she offered him tea or coffee.

“So, Karasuno High,” Miku began, “What do you think it’s going to be like.”

“Don’t know. Probably a bunch of hicks maybe,” I yawned.

“I hear they used to have a great volleyball team,” she began.

“It’s the boys’ team you’re thinking about.”

“Still, they have a team. Are you thinking about joining?” she asked, “They probably won’t make you tryout. They’ll just give you a starting position with how tall you are.”

I gave my sister a dark stare, making her back off a little.

“I don’t plan on playing,” I answered.

“Why not? You’re really good.”

“It wouldn’t be fair to my team back home.”

It’s true I loved the sport. There is something about the game that makes my heart race, but I can’t do it. It wouldn’t be fair to girls’ back in Yokohama and it wouldn’t be the same without Mom and Dad. We almost made it nationals last year, before everything fell apart, before the accident. The girls were understanding, they came to the funeral in support, but were so upset when they heard I was moving to a new prefecture. So, I had made a promise to them right then and there that I would never set foot on the court.

Other students walked passed us, some even stared noticing my uniform. I could hear their whispers as we approached the entrance to the school.

“Woah… rich girl alert.”

“I’ve never seen a uniform like that one before.”

“Must be a transfer for the city.”

“She looks like she might have been in a gang.”

“She’s so tall!”

“Miku,” I called to my sister, “I’m heading to the office to see if I can sort out this uniform issue. Meet you for lunch?”

“Sure thing, Mayu, and try to smile a little,” she said as she flashed a peace sign with a sweet grin.

“Smile,” I pouted before turning the corner.

There wasn’t much to say about the small-town school. It was full of lively first years, snotty second years, and laid back third years, but the looks were starting to get to me. Unlike my siblings who enjoyed having attention, I never like being the center of attention. Momoko knew how to hold her own, Miho was a prima donna, and Miku was just a chill, but me, I enjoyed sneaking back and getting lost in a crowd. As soon as I found the office, I opened to sliding door thinking that it would be a chance to get away from so many eyes, till I hit a solid object that made me lose my balance. As I wait to land on the floor, a hand grabs my wrist and pulls me up into them. My cheek rests on someone’s chest and I can hear their heart racing, almost like they’ve just run a marathon. They smell like cedar and oak, reminding me of a warm campfire.

“Are you all right, Miss?” I hear them ask with a voice that is too deep to be a high school student, however, when I look up, I’m met with a soft gaze of what looks to be a man posing as a high school student.

“I didn’t see you there,” he lightly chuckles, “I guess I should pay attention more. Sorry.”

I can feel his hand on my back and his other hand is still holding my wrist. I didn’t know high school boys could look like him. His hair was kept in a low bun and his chin had a well-trimmed beard. He looked too old to even be considered a third-year and yet, he was wearing the black uniform the boys wore. I could feel my cheeks start to warm as he had yet to let me go. Finding the strength, I pushed him back.

“Maybe next time look before you open a door, Tiny,” I barked and shoved passed him.

After returning the small uniform and requesting a new one, I was told I would have to wait a week since it was uncommon to see girls at my height at Karasuno. The teacher apologized for the inconvenience, but I was still flustered from the encounter I had with the unusually large student.

I’ve never really interacted with a boy before. My height doesn’t really make me very approachable, also my sisters have teased me for having a permanent scowl on my face. I was called intense and scary which was why I played as a middle blocker. Putting me in front of the net made the other team nervous. However, that boy wasn’t scared of me when he first saw me. He even smiled at me. I shook my head of that thought. I had to stay focus.

“Keep your head down,” I told myself, “Don’t talk to anyone and just get through this year.”

I walked to Class 3 with my paper in hand and bag over my shoulder. The halls had emptied by the time I was done turning in my uniform, so I it gave me a chance to relax. As I reached for the door, my hand started to shake. Why was I so nervous? It’s not like I plan on doing anything here and yet, I was so afraid. I had never thought about living anywhere, but in Yokohama. Back at Tsubakihara, I had so many friends, every teacher I had knew me because of my sisters before and encouraged me to do great things. Now, I feel lost. My final year of high school and I had no direction, no goal, no motivation. Momoko and Miho gave up everything to keep our family together. Was I doing enough to sacrifice for this family? Then I remember the words my mother told me before my first volleyball match.

_“Just breathe. Every time you feel your chest get tight, just listen to your heart, and find your center.”_

Placing my hand on my chest, I took a couple of deep breathes and felt my heart begin to slow down. I found my center, I knew where I was, and I could swear she was standing next to me now. So, I opened the door to find the teacher going over the morning announcements.

“Ah, you must be the transfer from Tsubakihara,” he said as he looked up from his papers and gestured me over towards his desk. I handed him my form as he cleared his throat.

“Students, this is Mayu Nishikawa. She’s traveled all the way from Yokohama to attend her final year of school with us. Please make her feel welcome.”

“Umm… thank you for having me,” I said as I bowed.

“Miss Nishikawa, your uniform?” the teacher asked.

“The one I was assigned was too small, sir,” I answered him, “I was told it wouldn’t be in till next week.”

“Ah, very good. Why don’t you take the seat next to Azumane and we’ll begin today’s first lesson.”

I thanked the teacher again before heading to the open seat in near the back right corner. As I was about to sit down, I noticed that my neighbor was staring at me. I looked over at him with a glare only to realize we had met before. The boy who I ran into was in my class. Not only that, he looked deathly afraid of me.


	2. Trash

“You do realize it’s pretty lame of you to have lunch with your first-year sister, right Mayu?” Miku asked as I nearly choked on my milk.

“It’s not lame! Remember in middle school when you would beg me to have lunch with you every day,” I told her.

“That’s when I was 11 and all my grade school friends went to a different school,” she said as she dabbed her mouth, “I’m in high school now. I have way more confidence now than I did then, but I am worried about you though.”

“Why?”

“Because you’re continuing to pestering me to have lunch with you every day and it’s almost been two weeks. You should be hanging out with other girls in your class,” she continued as the school bell rang, “I know this hasn’t been the easiest adjustment for everyone, but we’ll get through this, all right?”

She touched my shoulder lightly, making me look into her grey eyes.

“Mom and Dad wouldn’t want you to wallow in self-pity.”

She waved goodbye as some girls from her class called for her attention. For someone so young, Miku seemed to be the most mature out of all of us. Over the winter break when we were moving, Miku seemed to the one holding us up. She allowed Miho to cry on her shoulder and continued to build Momoko’s spirits up when it came to looking for a job. She was the foundation that never seemed to crack despite seeming all the adversities we had to face. She was even the first one to win Sasaki-san’s affection early on. She was a lot braver than what she looked like with her wide-rimmed glasses, pigtailed hair, and cute smile. Even though Dad said that he was proud to have daughters that looked like their mother, Miku was like her in spirit too.

I tossed the empty milk carton into a recycling bin as I walked from the courtyard to the school.

“Watch out!” I heard someone yell.

I turn to find a ball flying towards me. Without a second thought, I reached out with my arms stretched, my hands clasped together and hit the ball with my forearm, stopping it and punting it to my left into the grass.

“Wow! That was amazing!” I turned to find a small red-headed boy being chased by a taller one with silver hair. “Such great reacting time! You must one of Karasuno’s best defensive players on the girls’ team.”

“I’m not on any team, ya little twerp,” I barked at the underclassmen as I went to retrieve the discarded ball, “Next time, maybe have more control over your serve.”

I tossed it back to him before turning to walk away.

School seemed to go by at a snail’s pace every day, just dragging on and on with every class. At the end of the day, I’m assigned to trash duty, grateful to get away from the rest of my classmates who seemed to be buzzing with excitement about the activities they would be doing over the weekend. Everyone seemed to be happy as I just walked through a fog. Was I ever really happy or had I always been someone to wallow in despair? I often felt like I was walking with lead in my feet, trying to find my way out of this sinking mud. It was hard for me to even think of a time was really happy.

Tossing the bags of trash into the dump, I hear the sound of a ball being hit and bounced around. I looked around to find a skinhead helping that redheaded boy from earlier with his serves as a boy with a scowl watched from the side. Every serve bounced off the wall with a loud thud, the smack of ball echoing through the empty courtyard. The skinhead continued the critic and adjust the redhead’s form making every strike better. His control was still lacking though, but it was clear despite his height there was the power behind each hit.

“You like watching?” I heard someone say behind me, making me nearly jump. When I turned around, I found Asahi Azumane standing behind me with the rest of the trash.

“I… I wasn’t watching!” I snapped, glaring up at him, “Besides, it’s not polite to sneak up on people.”

“I’m sorry,” he apologized before throwing his bits into the recycling bin.

“You played volleyball for Tsubakihara, right? On the girls’ team?” he asked, ignoring my glare as he looked back at me, his voice cracked under his nervousness, “You were a middle blocker and a spiker, right?”

“What’s that to you?”

“The blue and gold in your hair is kind of a giveaway,” he answered as he pointed to the faded streaks in my dark hair, “Also we watched your team dominate Kakugawa in between sets last year. Maybe our reasoning behind seeing girls play may not have been with the best intention, but there is no denying you guys were the best we saw that day. You especially! You shut down so many spikes, it was incredible!”

I could feel my cheeks warming up as he stared at me with starry eyes recounting the events of that game. I was never one to receive praise like this. Most of the time it had been from my other teammates or family, but never from a stranger or an onlooker. It felt nice, giving me a warm tingling sensation that I had never felt before.

“You should really consider joining the girls’ team here. I’m sure they’d be glad to have you,” he continued, making me snap from my daze, “They may not have the strongest setter, but with your help…”

“No,” I interjected, “I’m not playing for another team… It wouldn’t be the same…”

He seemed confused for a moment, but then his gaze softened.

“I get it,” he said, “You probably played with most of them back in middle school, right? So, I can imagine coming to a new school would make you feel like you’re starting all over again. Third years should be on the court as much as possible, because who knows when it will be their last game.”

He rubbed the back of his neck as he looked over to where the boys were practicing. He seemed to be sad, almost like a part of him had died.

“Do you play for Karasuno?” I asked, not really sure why I even bothered asking.

“Umm… Kind of,” he answered out of embarrassment, “I’m sort of benched right now…”

“Why?”

“Bad game… I let everyone down during a match with Date Tech,” he sighed.

“And so they’re planning on replacing you with a couple of first years?” I asked as I point at the redhead boy being yelled at by the scowling boy, “That one couldn’t be any taller than 160 and you’re huge.”

Now, it was his turn to blush as I sized him up.

“Or maybe you don’t play at all,” I sighed, “Are you the manager?”

“No, I play! I mean... I used to...”

There was a long silence that passed between us before we heard the final bell.

“Shameful, I guess. Not wanting to see your final season out,” I sighed, “but who am I to judge.”

I turn to head inside, but Asahi wasn’t done with me.

“Hey Nishikawa, right?” he asked as I stopped in my tracks to look back at him, “You were my favorite to watch that day. No one on your team stood out as much as you.”

“Why? Cause of my height?” I sneered, knowing that was one of the main reasons I stood out on my team.

“No,” he offered me a small as he approached me with newfound confidence, “because you shot down every point Kakugawa would have won. Height is an advantage, but you had such a keen focus, you always knew where the ball was. I was kind of jealous that you became an unbreakable barrier.”

His eyes met mine, and I saw more than just admiration. It made my heart nearly stop as he gave me this soft longing gaze. His eyes drifted over me from top to bottom as I had seen men and boys do to my sisters. I could feel my cheeks warming again as my senses went into overdrive of the slow drift of his eyes.

“Maybe just get better at it,” I snapped before turning and walking away from him.

As soon as I was at my locker, I changed shoes and walked to the gate where Miku was waiting for me as she talked to some of her friends. When I approached her, I caught sight of Asahi near a bike rack talking to the silver-haired boy from earlier and another dark hair one. When I saw his head turn towards me, I nearly sprinted to the gate, taking my sister’s hand and began dragging her with me.

“Hey! Ouch! Mayu! Let go!” she shouted as she smacked me with her bag. I let go of her wrist but kept walking, not looking back to see if she would follow. I needed to get home. I needed to get as far away from Karasuno High. If possible, I would like to change classes. I didn’t want to be anywhere that tall, bun boy.


	3. Broken Window

“So, how is school going?” Miho asked as she tried to break the awkward silence that was happening at the dinner table.

“It’s fine,” Miku answered, “Nothing too strange or out of the ordinary. Oh, except Mayu dragging me down the street.”

“Well, maybe if you actually moved, I wouldn’t have had to pull you along,” I grumbled.

“That doesn’t seem like you, Mayu,” Miho commented, showing concern, “Is there something wrong?”

“No,” I responded as I pushed around the vegetables on my plate.

Sasaki-san slurped his soup loudly before letting out a sigh of content.

“I have to say, having you girls around is making me put on some weight,” he chuckled as he patted his belly, trying to make the energy in the room lighter.

I rolled my eyes and preceded to excuse myself from the table, claiming I had homework to finish.

I sat at my desk staring over math equations that didn’t seem to make any sense, switching between notes and the book in hopes to better understand what was solving for. I let out a frustrated groan and slammed my head onto the hard surface. My mind felt like mush. Something that should have made perfect just seemed to jumble around in my mind and get lost with everything else. The fog was there, clouding my judgment and dragging me down into a pit of emptiness. Dad would have knocked on my door at this point, looking over my work and pointing out where I had gone wrong. He had a way with numbers that just made things more clear. It was something Momoko had gotten from him, and, well, she’s currently working late.

I let out a defeated sigh and close my book, turning to my laptop instead. I dug through some old files, looking over pictures of my friends back in Yokohama and of us holding the national championship trophy. It was a proud moment for all of us. Then I thought back at what Azumane had said, about watching us take on Kakugawa and that they had lost big time to Date Tech.

Out just curiosity, I went online to see if there was any footage of Karasuno’s boys’ team taking on the “iron wall” as they liked to call themselves and what I found was heartbreaking. Here they were, wanting to stake their claim only to met with an unbeatable barrier. Grant it, Azumane was tall, taller than me, which said a lot, but he might as well had been facing giants alone. They blocked nearly every strike he had set up and when the game had finished, I could see how broken his spirit was. Shoulder slumped as his teammates tried to pull him out, but he was already far gone. He was willingly letting himself drown.

The following days, I seemed to notice more and more things about my classmate. Despite his size, he was more like a gentle giant than an intimidating grizzly bear. He picked up things students had dropped and returned them, he helped others reach things and seemed to have an overall warm disposition. My chest seemed to tighten anytime he gave someone a small smile after they thanked him or greeted him. Still, behind that sweet disposition, I could see how fragile he was, trying to hide his sorrow behind a cheerful face. I would catch him walking by the gym where the boys’ volleyball team was practicing and see him peek through the windows. He wanted to play, but his fear was holding him back.

Perhaps out of all of his traits, it was his voice that stood out the most. He has a deep voice that seems unnatural for any boy his age to have, but it was so soothing to hear. He could read an instruction manual for a game, and I would listen for hours. I stared out the window as Asahi was reading aloud to the class, watching the clouds roll by. It almost reminded me of the way our father used to read to us when we were younger. His voice would make any beast come alive, but Asahi’s was so different from his. It was almost melodic the way he spoke his words even if he did sound a bit nervous, but he added an extra bounce at the end of every sentence that gave it a sort of new life to it.

“Thank you, Azumane. Now let’s have Nishikawa pick up on the next page,” the teacher said, bolting me from my daydream and making me stand up as I franticly turned the page to where he was.

My voice shook as I picked up when Azumane had left off. My cheeks warmed as I heard my classmates snicker at my blunder. I must have looked like a complete idiot in front of him… Not that it should matter. Why would he care how well I was able to read a passage out loud? Yet, I felt every eye was on me at this point as began to fumble over phrases and words till the point the teacher took pity on me, asking me to stop and moving on to the next student.

I took my seat again as I tried to calm my pulse. I looked out of the corner of my eye to find Azumane waving at me, giving a thumbs up only for me to shoot a dark glare at him.

“Don’t… look… at… me…” I mouthed.

As soon as the bell rang for lunch, I bolted out of the classroom with my bento in tow to where my sister’s classroom was. By the time I was about to arrive, I saw Miku leaving with a couple of girls from her class towards the cafeteria. She smiled and laughed as they exchanged jokes. I stopped in my tracks as she continued down the hall. I squeezed my hand, balling it into a fist before turning my heels and walking away.

It’s fine. Miku is more than welcome to spend time with her new friends. She had mentioned I too should be spending time with my own classmates. Not that I had any interest, nor would anyone care. So, I trudged over to a spot behind the school, near the gym, and sat against the wall, stuffing my face angrily with squid whinnies, omelet, and fried rice Miho had spent the morning preparing.

If given the chance, Miho would make a great housewife. Musically gifted and a vibrant presence that could win over any crowd, it seemed unfortunate that she chose to put her life on hold just be a live-in maid to an uncle who could care less about his living conditions. Over the winter break, she had spent her days cleaning, sweeping, and cooking to make turning his trash into a livable environment for us to thrive. She decided to take up the torch that our mother had left behind, being the last the bath at night and first up to make sure everyone was feed. I remember when she was worried over getting into a conservatory that now it felt like such a lifetime ago. Trading in her posh, fashionable look for a conservative look paired with an apron was never a look I’d imagine my second eldest sister wearing. Sasaki-san didn’t deserve her. He hardly picked up after himself as he locked himself away in a private study he asked us to never go in.

Sasaki-san never explained how he was estranged from our mother, but he hoped to make amends by acting as caretaker to her daughters. He was a writer as far as I could tell. I had found his work in magazines he had laying around the house. Short stories that talked about a time long forgotten when he was a youth or at least inspired by those events. They weren’t anything special, but apparently, he had been working on a novel for the past 10 years, wanting to combine those short stories into a constant narrative. He had often asked Miku and me about events that had happened at school. Never as a way to connect, because he had a notepad and pen with him in case we ever said anything interesting. Apparently, he had wanted to write something that would connect to the youth of today. While Miku never had a problem talking about her day, I kept my sentences short and blunt. Besides, nothing interesting ever happens to me. At least, it doesn’t now.

I leaned my head back on the solid brick wall behind me, closed my eyes, and just listened ambiance of the schoolyard. The wind blowing by, students running and laughing, some soft music playing from an open window, but then I heard an unusual noise that made me open my eyes and look up in the sky. Crows were circling overhead, cawing and crowing as they tried to get in formation. I grimaced at the sight, beginning to gather my things when I heard a familiar call from the right.

“Watch out!” cried a boy as I looked over to find a ball arching over me.

Without another thought, I dropped my things and held my hand over my head ready to catch it, but instead of catching it, my hands made it bounce higher in the air. Trying to recover, I folded my hands together and extended my arms out flat to bunt it. I ended up hitting it too hard and watched as it crashed into one of the windows of the gym. In horror, I heard the glass break and the outcry of boys from inside. I didn’t know what to do. I was frozen stiff as a skinhead boy opened the door to the gym, barking and yelling to find out who broke the window.

“Who did?! Who was the wise guy who broke the window?!” he continued to rave.

“Calm down, Tanaka,” spoke the tall dark haired boy who followed after him, “I’m sure it was a mistake.”

The skinhead continued to snarl and sneer as he stomped around, approaching other classmates walking by, ready to interrogate them with his fists. I slowly tried to creep away, forgetting about my bento box and lunch, running back into the school in hopes that nothing would happen.

The rest of the day I was a jittery mess, unable to focus on anything as I waited on my impending fate. It wasn’t until the secretary of the school came by with my discard bento box and note that I knew all was over for me. I had been called to the office. With my head hanging low, I figured that this was the end for me. Maybe it was for the best. I was never really interested in school anyway. I didn’t make new friends, I didn’t participate in class, and I hated everything about Karasuno High. Being expelled would be a good thing. Maybe then I’d find a job, save up money with Momoko, and we’d all be able to go back to Yokohama. Maybe then we could have a piece of the life we once had.

The vice-principal was a fat man with a fat face and an obvious toupee. He sat back on a pleather chair that squeaked under his weight. His suit was pressed and free of lent and his office was very organized and neat. He offered a half-smile as he gestured to a seat in front of his desk after dismissing the secretary. I took the seat, my hands in my lap were balled into fists as I waited for his verdict.

“Nishikawa Mayu,” he said as he opened up my file, “one of our new transfer from Tsubakihara. Your teacher has noticed that your adjustment has been very hard for you despite showing some promise as a good student. Tell me, why haven’t you signed up for the volleyball club?”

“Umm... sir?”

“According to your transfer documents, you were heavily involved in the volleyball club when you were in middle and high school,” he continued, putting on a pair of glasses to read over a piece of paper, “Your team even won nationals last year. So why wouldn’t apply for the volleyball team here.”

“Lack of interest,” I lied.

“Lack of interest or just jealous?” he continued to press, folding his hands, “Why did you break the glass window of the gym, Miss Nishikawa?”

“I…”

“Don’t deny it. We have eyewitnesses report that they say you hitting a ball against it with a force enough to shatter the glass. You could have injured someone, Miss Nishikawa.”

My bottom lip began to tremble. Why didn’t I just catch the ball like I intended to? Why did I hit it? I promise there was no malice against my action, but then why did I run away when that skinhead named Tanaka was ready to fight whoever shattered the glass? Why was I a coward? Why was pretending to be something I’m not?

Before I could give an answer, the door to the vice principal’s office as the dark hair student from earlier barged in with an out of breath teacher behind him.

“Sawamura… wait…” the teacher panted, but the student stood next to me, chest out, arms crossed, his face stoic as he faced the man behind the desk.

“Don’t punish this girl, Vice Principal,” he began, “She’s just victim of a minor inconvenience.”

“I wouldn’t call damaging school property a minor inconvenience, Mr. Sawamura,” the vice-principal answered with a glare, “Why even come to this young girl’s defense when she could have seriously injured one of your teammates?”

“Tanaka’s head is too thick for glass to slice,” Sawamura answered, “Besides, expelling someone over a window is a bit extreme, don’t think?”

“Miss Nishikawa isn’t getting expelled, Mr. Sawamura,” the vice-principal spat, “I was simply going to make her pay for the damages after she confessed to the crimes.”

“Can I say something here?!” I finally spoke up, getting everyone’s attention, taking a deep breath, and began to explain what happened, “Vice Principal, yes, I broke the window, but it was out of a pure reflex. I didn’t turn myself in, because I got scared of what would happen if I did. So for that, I am sorry. I’m also sorry for nearly injuring a member of the volleyball club, but I didn’t mean for things to happen this way.”

“Of course you didn’t,” Sawamura responded with a small smile and a wink, “I should apologize too. You see, two of our first years are really excited about joining our team this year, that they’ve been training to earn spots.”

I raised an eyebrow out of confusion and then I thought of that red-headed First-year who complimented me.

“Him!”

“Which is why Nishikawa should be absolved of any wrongdoing,” Sawamura continued before I could respond.

The vice-principal pouted, his brow still furrowed in frustration.

“That still doesn’t account for the broken window, Mr. Sawamura. Are you saying that the team is going to pay for it?”

That stunned the confident student as he tried to find the right words to say, but the teacher who followed him chose to speak up.

“I’ll pay for the window. The team is my responsibility after all.”

“Fine,” the vice-principal agreed, “but that doesn’t mean that Miss Nishikawa is off the hook. Even if she is a victim of inconvenience as you put it, Mr. Sawamura.”

“Oh, that’s already been discussed,” the teacher continued as he adjusted his glasses, “Miss Nishikawa will be our new manager for the season.”


	4. Shimizu Kiyoko

Manager? A manager? That was my punishment? When I was Tsubakihara, the manager we had was a cute first-year who wasn’t quite skilled enough to play the sport but had an understanding of the game. She acted as our cheerleader, coming up with small cheers that kept our spirits high. In hindsight, any girl would probably love the chance to drool over a few boys running drills after drills till they were wet from their own sweat, but the thought of being a nanny to teen boys, made me grimace.

“ _You don’t have to do it for long,”_ the captain told me, _“Just do it through the Interhigh tournament, and your debt is paid.”_

Sawamura gave me instructions to be at school at 6:30 a.m. to meet with Shimizu Kiyoko, the current manager of the boys’ volleyball club. I had left with only Sasaki-san being awake. When he asked why I was up so early, I made up a story claiming to get extra tutoring for math. He had seemed pleased to hear as he offered to fill my thermos with a pot of freshly brewed coffee.

“When you’re older, you’ll appreciate it more,” he said to me as I thanked him. He offered a small, encouraging smile and wished me luck before I left.

I yawned, rubbing my eyes of the small tears that had formed, and took a sip of my coffee. I walked onto the quiet campus. There were some teachers wandering around, a couple of students here and there, but Karasuno High seemed much different with the lack of busybodies roaming about. I could make more of the school imperfection from the cracks in the walls to the squeak of the doorframe, a continuous reminder that this was not a proper school. I rounded the corner as I yawned once more before coming upon the gym.

I looked up at the window I broke and saw they had placed a wooden board in its place. Maybe that was all that the school could afford or more like the teacher. My stomach was in knots as I looked at the plank of wood.

“Morning practice hasn’t started yet,” I heard a female voice say and turned my left to find a girl with black hair, glasses and a serious look, “Are you, Nishikawa?”

“Uh… yeah… that’s me,” I answered, shivering under her look, “Ummm… are you, Shimizu?”

She simply nodded as she looked me over, studying me as if trying to figure out what my intentions were. Her face was still and unreadable, making me even more nervous than I already was.

“Follow me,” she said and began walking around the gym.

For someone as small as she was, I was finding it hard to keep up. We started with water bottles, cleaning them and filling them with water. Next was making sure each volleyball had enough air in them, including make sure they bounce. The whole time she said little or nothing to me, which I probably could understand. I was the one who broke the window. To her, she probably thought I was an imposter. Once we had finished with the balls, she had me roll the basket of balls onto the court. It was then I realized Shimizu wasn’t in her school uniform and felt like an idiot. Of course, a tracksuit would have been more proper to wear. When we arrived at the gym, it was completely empty, but the net was still up.

“There were people in here earlier, right?” I asked Shimizu as she dug through her bag for her notebook, pen, and stopwatch, “Or do you guys normally keep the net out?”

“Morning practice doesn’t start till 7,” she answered.

“But the net is still up? Why would you leave this up? Isn’t this gym used for other things?” I pressed as she turned to look at me with a dark look.

“Practice doesn’t start until 7,” she repeated and I felt a chill run down my spine.

I didn’t know much of Shimizu Kiyoko except what was said in passing. A shy, pretty girl who kept to herself, but had been a manager since her first year. Apparently, other clubs were jealous that the boys’ volleyball club had such a cute manager. I imagined that their opinions wouldn’t be swayed once they saw me. Still, I had seen her around and didn’t feel anything remarkable about her. Yet, now being closer to her, I couldn’t help but feel a bit on edge.

Sawamura was the first to show up with a boy who had silver hair. He introduced himself as Sugawara Kōshi as he bowed and thanked me for being here.

“I had no choice,” I responded, feeling uncomfortable with how welcoming he was.

“Still, Kiyoko won’t admit it, but she appreciates the help,” he said before heading over to the other side of the gym.

Next came the rowdy skinhead and few other second years. Before even noticing me, they were quick to fawn over Shimizu, complimenting her in hopes to catch her attention. I sort of rolled my eyes as I knew how typical this was for girls like Shimizu. Yet, despite not saying anything, her body was showing more signs of discomfort in the way she balled her fist and how quick her shoulders stiffened from the unwanted touching. So, being a person who hated uncomfortable situations, I stood behind her, matching the heights of these boys with my arms crossed and my glare set.

“Practice starts at 7 boys,” I said in a dark tone, “Best not to keep your captain waiting.”

It was interesting to watch them shrink in fear not that they were feeling uncomfortable by this unusually tall girl that could meet them at eye level. They quickly backed off, heading off to change for the practice.

“Why couldn’t they have picked another cute manager?” I heard one of them complain, hitting a nerve inside me. I had found a discarded ball and was ready to throw it when Shimizu grabbed my wrist.

“Don’t let Tanaka get to you,” Shimizu said, getting my attention, “He may seem annoying, but his heart is in the right place.”

The final ones to show up were the fresher face-first years. The red-headed boy immediately knew who I was and had no trouble running up to me with a bright smile.

“So you finally decided to join?! You’re going to play with us?!” he asked as his mouth went off a mile a minute, “Or maybe you’re just looking to train? Daichi is a great captain and I’m sure will give you pointers. He’s also friends with the captain of the girls’ team. Maybe he might talk to her about getting you to start.”

“Lay off of her, dork brain,” a boy with dark hair and a chill scowl shouted, “You’re clearly scaring her.”

“I’m not scaring her! She’s just really good! You were there when she broke the win…” He stopped himself for a moment as I grabbed his head and began to squeeze.

“So it was you who got me into this, you little gremlin,” I growled, “Are you just here to give misfortune?”

“AH! Please! I’m sorry, but I’m really glad you’re here,” the redhead squirmed.

“If I could I would turn your body inside out and feast on your organs,” I threatened, making him turn a ghostly pale at the thought.

“Leave him alone, Nishikawa,” I heard Sawamura call out, “Hinata’s really sorry for what he did.”

The redhead nodded vigorously, nearly pleading for his life. I really wanted to lay into this kid, effectively teach him a lesson for putting me in this situation, but I let him go. This was just as much my fault for getting into this mess. I took a seat on the bench next to Shizimu as Sawamura led the team in morning stretches. It was strange. Their team barely had enough members.

“Where is everyone else?” I asked her as she seemed to be looking over her notes.

“A lot of them left after the Date Tech game. Nearly soul-crushing for a lot, but Daichi is convinced that with the new first years, their team could turn things around at the preliminaries,” she answered.

“First years? That’s a lot to bank on,” I said as I looked over the team, “Who are they?”

“Kageyama Tobio,” she pointed at the scowling boy, “He is a setter, considered to be one of the best at his age. The super tall one is Tsukishima Kei. His height gives him a big advantage as a middle blocker. His friend next to him is Yamaguchi Tadashi. He still has quite a ways to go, but his determination is unrivaled by anyone. The small one you tried to kill is Shōyō Hinata. He’s a blocker, too.”

“You’re kidding,” I smirked, wanting to laugh, but stopped myself when Shizimu gave me a nasty side glance, “There’s no way that little guy can block anything. I mean unless it’s with his face that is.”

“You shouldn’t count someone out just based on their height,” she responded as she turned her attention back to the team, “I’ve been with them since my first year. I’ve seen every game, been there through every loss. They may not be as polished as other teams, but what they lack in skill, they make up in determination and a fight that doesn’t stop.”

“Huh, sounds like any other boys’ team if you ask me,” I sighed.

She didn’t respond and instead watch the boys begin their practice. The sound of squeaky shoes on a freshly waxed floor gave me little flashbacks to my days on the court.

Growing up, I felt like the odd sister out. All of my sisters were smart and talented, each one proving to excel at anything they did while I only made moderate grades and lacked any ‘artistic’ abilities. I felt like an outcast in my family. As if that wasn’t bad enough, I had a growth spurt going into middle school. It was then my mother had come to me and comforted me. She held as I cried into her chest about feeling like a freak of nature or just out of the ordinary. She listened to my qualms as I felt so far behind that there was no way I would be as smart as Momoko or as talented as Miho.

_“But that’s what makes you so special, Mayu-chan,”_ she had whispered to me, _“With each one of you, I have a special can of love that no one else has. Momoko and Miho may have things already figured out, but I know you’ll blossom into something just as beautiful as them.”_

I watched the ball bounce from one side of the net to the other as they played three-on-three, rotating players once the ball hit the ground. When I looked at Shizimu, she was timing how long the ball stayed into play and then jotted down it before the switch.

“So how do they expect to play with the numbers they have? Who’s their libero? Who’s their ace?” I asked and looked around the gym noticing a very important person was missing, “Better yet where is the coach?”

“They don’t have one,” she answered, her eyes locked on the ball in play.

“They don’t have one what?”

“They don’t have a coach.”

I was floored. My jaw must have hit the ground because I had no way to respond.

“What do you mean they don’t have a coach? What about that one with the glasses? The one who teaches here?”

“He’s just the teacher advisor,” she answered as the players rotated again, “He honestly knows nothing about volleyball.”

“Then what is he doing being in charge of this club?!”

“Look, a lot has happened for this team in past years. Their most prominent coach has just retired and it’s been so long since they’ve made nationals. Everything just feels like it’s in limbo right now, but they are making the most of it,” Shizimu said as the captain, Sawamura called for the boys to start cool-down stretches, “You just need to give them a chance to find their footing again.”

Water bottles and towels were handed out as some of the boys gracious thanked Shizimu for her help, gushing and swooning over her as she stood in silence with a blank expression.

“Hey everyone,” Sawamura clapped getting the rest of the team’s attention, “This is Nishikawa Mayu. She’s a transfer from Tsubakihara and a 3rd year like Kiyoko. Treat her with just as much respect as you would to Kiyoko. She’ll be with us for the season.”

I felt embarrassed with every eye on me now. I never liked being the center of attention. What do I say?

“Umm… I’m only here on a technicality,” I said, “but thanks… I guess…”

“Thank you for being here!” the little redhead shouted and everyone followed after.

It was a weird feeling being on the other side and I wasn’t sure how to feel about it.

I waited outside of the gym for Shizimu to change, not really wanting to look like a loner when I spotted Azumane across the way. He was on the team, right? He had said so but was benched. I don’t know what provoked me, but I started yelling his name. He stopped, looking up from his phone and watched as I stomped over to him.

“Why weren’t you at practice?” I snapped.

“Practice?”

“Volleyball practice,” I continued, “You said so yourself you’re on the team. So, what’s your excuse?”

He was stunned as I crossed my arms, waiting for an answer.

“I… I… Ummm… slept in?” he lied, his eyes drifting to the side as to meet mine. Why was he lying? What would he gain from being dishonest?

“I watched the Date Tech game,” I told him, shifting my weight and tilting my head to meet his gaze, “It was awful. I can understand why anyone would want to quit, but…”

“Like you have any room to talk,” he bit back, looking at me once more, but immediately regretted that, “I’m sorry. That was out of turn. I just…”

The bell sounded and I heard Shimizu approaching from behind.

“Asahi,” she said, “it’s good to see you. Walk with us.”

His cheeks turned red and he nodded, waiting as Shizimu led the way to the building.

“Do you want to have lunch together?” he whispered as we walked side by side. My chest tightened a little as I noticed how close he was to me. His brown eyes looking back into mine were soft and he offered me a sweet smile. I could hear my heart pounding in my chest as if I had just got done with sprints. I didn’t trust my words, so I just nodded.


	5. Lunchtime

Miho was very popular in high school. She had multiple boyfriends all through her time and many, many confessions of love. Her telltale sign of when a boy likes you is when they ask you to have lunch with them. Obviously it didn’t mean that for me, because… well… I’m me. I was not someone who turned boys’ heads when I entered a room. If anything, I scared them with my freakish height and my large wingspan. Even at a very young age, boys didn’t really like me. So for Asahi Azumane to ask me to have lunch with him was just a pure coincidence. Still, that didn’t stop my heart from beating fast when he approached my desk, asking me if I was ready. I didn’t trust my words, so I just nodded and followed him out to the vending machines.

“I woke up late this morning, so I forgot to take my lunch with me,” he chuckled.

“I have an extra rice ball, if you want,” I offered before I could stop the words from tumbling out.

“Really?” he asked, pulling out the wrapped bread from the machine as he approached the drink one, “What’s in it?”

“My sister usually puts salmon in the middle,” I answered looking down at my shoes, noticing the scoff marks on them.

“Salmon!” he exclaimed as the machine dispensed his juice, “I love salmon!”

“Umm… then you can have one?”

“Really? That’s awesome!” He turned back to the machine and pointed at it, “Which do you want? I’ll get your drink.”

Another telltale sign Miho mentioned was when a boy offered to buy you something even something as simple as a drink. However, that would be impossible, because clearly he was just doing this to be nice.

“Ummm… I usually just get milk,” I answered.

“One milk, coming up.”

We found a picnic bench in a shaded area. I opened my bento box as he opened the wrapper to his bread. I handed him the extra rice ball before picked up my chopsticks to eat my omelet. We didn’t say anything for the past few minutes. My nerves were starting to get the best of me as I began to overthink things. This was proving to be a big mistake.

“So, Tsubakihara,” he began, “what was that like?”

I raised an eyebrow, finding it strange that he would want to know anything about my school.

“It’s like any other school?” I answered drily.

“I’ve only been as far as Tokyo, but I’ve heard Yokohama is just as busy,” he said, clearly trying to make some conversation, “This has be sort of a culture shock for you.”

“I guess...”

An awkward silence fell between us as he looked into my eyes before taking his first bite of the rice ball. I nervously pushed my food around as I watched his eyes begin to light up from just one bite.

“This... this is amazing!” he gleamed as he proceed the devour it before my eyes. It seemed like the most unnatural thing I had ever seen, but watching his eyes closed as he licked his fingers made the corner of my mouth twitch a little.

“Do you want the other one?” I asked, holding out the bento box for him to take.

He nodded and thanked me before taking a new bite. I don’t know why, but watching him eat was almost enjoyable. It warmed something inside me just to see him satisfied from this simple act. Something was telling me I wanted to see more of this, more of him in this happy nature.

“So… ummm… about the Date Tech match,” I began, making him pause from taking another bite, “I don’t think you guys did anything wrong. I watched the game and everything seemed to be in your favor to turn it around. I wasn’t till the very end when I saw how things were starting to fall apart.”

I looked up from my food and found him staring back at me. His eyes studying me to see what my next move was going to be. I could feel myself panicking. Shouldn’t he tell me to just shut up or tell me I don’t know what I’m talking about?

“Your defense is not as strong, but your libero is quick and you were doing everything to get that ball over the net,” I said, still picking at my pickled plums.

“It was a bad match,” he answered as he rubbed the back of his neck, his gaze shifting to the side, “I let my team down that day. It wouldn’t be fair to hold them back.”

“Everyone has bad games,” I blurted out, “My first year in high school, I watched one of my teammates crack under pressure. She felt like the whole game relied on her making the perfect strike, only to be shot down every time.”

He was remained quiet, just listening to me as a ramble on, his gaze back on me.

“She wanted to quit, but we wouldn’t let her. She was an amazing defensive player, and every serve she gave shook any team... I guess what I’m trying to say is everyone matters on a team. If a team loses, it’s not because of one singular person. A team is only as strong as its trust and confidence in others...” I finished as the bell sounded.

I began to gather my things as Asahi took our trash and threw it away. We walked back to the classroom in silence, side by side, with a few onlookers watching us pass. It was nerve wracking. I didn’t know what to do. Even though I thought about a million scenarios on how to end this interaction, Asahi decided to make the first move.

“So, you and Kiyoko, huh?”

“It’s not like that,” I rolled my eyes, “I’m just serving a sentence till the Interhigh tournaments.”

“Oh, and what would that be?”

“Managing the the boys’ volleyball team,” I answered as we entered the classroom together.

“Really? After swearing off playing?” he continued to press and I shot him a glare in hopes to get him to back off, “Okay, I won’t ask anymore, but… do you really mean that? All that you said from earlier?”

“Of course. What would I gain from lying?” I asked noticing a hint of pink raising to his cheeks.

“Well... if you like,” he began as he looked around the room, “I could walk you from practice in the morning. I know those guys can be a bit much so... You know, like a bodyguard.”

“I don’t see myself needing protection. I mean given my,” I laughed as I gestured to myself.

“Maybe some gym clothes instead of your uniform then,” he suggested as I watched his eyes shift down to where my skirt fell just above my knees, “Like I said, we watched your team play for other reasons than support.”

Another given that a boy is interested in you is if he looks at more than just your face. Miho would tell stories of how many times she would catch boy staring where her skirt fell or if she had undone a top button after loosening her tie. Roaming eyes meant that they may like more than your sweet face and the way Asahi was looking at me, made my heart skip a beat. How could someone so sweet and gentle also look like the cool guy who could make you squirm?

By the teach returned, we took our seats and I tried to pay attention to what was being said. My knee nervously bounced as my thoughts would drift back to the way Asahi had looked at me, like he was truly looking at me, as someone to be chased, to be desired. Something hit the side of my head like a soft slap, bringing me back to the reality. I could hear a hiss next to me as I turned to my neighbor trying desperate to hunch over his books and notes while a couple of students laughed behind us. Looked down at a folder piece of paper that hit me near my foot. I reach down to pick it up, making my seat groan underneath me. I shoot back up before the teacher notices and slowly begin to unfold the note. I pressed it flat against my desk and read what was written to me.

_I would like to have lunch again with you._

_~Asahi~_


	6. Ukai Keishin

“No, no, Mayu. Gentle,” Miho said as she took the crumbling rice ball from my hands, “Watch one more time.”

“No one is questioning why Mayu suddenly wants to make her own lunch for tomorrow?” Miku asked, not looking away from the TV as she played MarioKart with Sasaki-san, “Or the fact that it mainly consists of rice balls?”

“Of course,” Miho giggled, “It’s obvious she’s doing this for a boy.”

“What?! No, I’m not!” I tried to defend.

“Please, this is just like that time you asked Mom about making curry,” she said, reminding me of an embarrassing memory, “Who was it for? Chihiro or Arata?”

“Don’t forget Hirohito from next door,” Miku included as the music from the game began to speed up, indicating that they were on their final lap.

“Oh my gosh, Hirohito Kanzaki from next door. How could I forget when you tried to make chocolate for him last year,” Miho laughed, “The kitchen was a disaster.”

“Listen, if you’re not going to help me, then I’ll just buy lunch tomorrow,” I spat, nearly ripping the apron from my body.

As I stomped out of the kitchen, with my sister trying to call me back, the front door unlocked and opened to reveal my eldest sister, Momoko, carrying takeout with a tall, blonde man following right behind her with more bags.

“Oh, looks like Miho has to set another plate,” I said as I took one of the bags from the man.

“Thanks, Mayu,” he replied as he began to take off his shoes.

Keishin Ukai ran a convenience store that Momoko worked at. Not as glamorous or as swanky as the accountant jobs she would have found in Yokohama, but it was extra income and she said she didn’t mind the work. Clearly, Ukai had other reasons to hire her, but it was clear he respected her as an individual and treated her as his equal. Despite his best efforts to hide the hearts in his eyes as Momoko would pour him his tea, coffee, or beer, Ukai tried to keep a firm, but laid back exterior around us. He was personable, willing to liven up a room in any given situation. He was better than the stuff that was Sasaki-san, especially after a few drinks in him. Momoko wouldn’t admit it out loud, but she was taken by her boss. However, being the professional that she was, she would argue that he only came by out of concern or just to keep company for a while. Miho was sure there would be wedding bells before the year was done, making Momoko more frazzled and flustered. Yet it is seen in the way she served him his drink, the way she always took a spot next to him, the way she had a lighter handy when he wanted to lit a cigarette. She even had a story prepared about her encounters with him at the store every night he didn’t come home with her.

Momoko would never admit it, but she was just as popular as Miho in high school. Though more academically driven, boys would flock to her just as much, if not more than Miho. Being aloof was intriguing. Her nose buried in her studies left no time for a relationship. Our mother worried that Momoko was letting her youth slip away that she would regret never enjoying the splendors of being young. Now that she was away from her studies, it seemed like Momoko is finally able to slow down a little and Ukai is to thank for some of that.

“Oh, what a feast,” he sighed after he finished his beer, “Nothing like a little something from Chinatown as a reward for a hard day’s work.”

“What hard work? Momoko is the one making sure you don’t overspend,” Miku pointed out as she took another pork dumpling.

“Not to mention she was the one who organized your storage space to be more efficient, Keishin,” Miho added with a wink, “and has kept your books balanced.”

“She’s the longest employee you’ve had that’s not related to you,” I chimed in as I finished my fried rice.

“Girls, please,” Momoko jumped in before any of us could deliver a finishing blow to the shop owner’s ego, “Keishin-san has been good to us and has given me a chance to provide for us. We should at show him some respect, even if everything you say is true.”

The room filled with laughter as Ukai made empty threats about firing Momoko. It was nice to see her happy.

When our parents died, it seemed like she took it the hardest. She dropped out of school to follow us to the Miyagi Prefecture. If she hadn’t found a job soon, Sasaki-san insisted that she use her inheritance to go back to school, even claiming he would help pay for room and board. There wasn’t a night that I didn’t hear Momoko whimpering in her room, feeling lost on what she was to do. Then Keishin Ukai came along and turned things around. It started as part-time work, but when she showed up every day even willing to cover others' shifts, it showed Ukai how valuable she was to him. Before long, she becomes a scheduling manager as well as a bookkeeper for the store. If she worked late, Ukai would walk her home, making sure she got there safe. Soon enough, on some occasions, he would be welcomed at our table to eat, drink or just talk. That was when it became very apparent to us all that Ukai was in love with our sister. Though his hard exterior wouldn’t show it, the soft glances he gives her, or the way his hand would rest on the back of her chair let us all know that he clearly wanted to be more than just her boss and friend.

“So, Mayu, your sister tells me you’re now a manager for Karasuno’s Boys’ Volleyball club,” Ukai brought up as my eyes went wide.

“The school called,” Momoko answered my question before I could respond, “Hayate didn’t want us to say anything, but knowing you, you were never going to tell us.”

“I would have told you when I was ready,” I mumbled.

“How’s the team looking?” he asked as he pulled out a fresh pack of cigarettes from his jacket and began to smack the bottom of it with the palm of his hand.

“All right I guess,” I shrugged as I picked at my rice, “Their team is pretty small missing a libero and their Ace. They have some fresh faces who look like they rather fight each other than play. It’s a complete mess.”

“How can you tell when you’ve only been to two practices, Mayu?” Miho asked, slightly pouting.

“Probably, because Mayu is better than half the boys on that team,” Miku defended without missing a beat, “She’s played the sport longer than any instrument you’ve played.”

“That... that’s not true,” Miho stammered, her cheeks turning red as Miku put her on the spot.

“Violin, trumpet, flute, and harp,” Miku counted out, “you gave up those in a single week while Mayu was busy dominating at Grand Nationals on her first time on the court in middle school.”

Out of all my sisters, she was the most interested in have an athletic older sister. It was a badge of honor she wore with pride whenever I had a volleyball match. With her being so young, she tagged along with my parents to every game I had. I gave her a small smile as she returned to me as well.

“What about a coach?” Ukai asked after he took a long drag from the cigarette he just lit.

“Sensei Takeda says he has someone, but they haven’t said yes or no. Then he proceeds to encourage me to talk to the boys about technic, planting, and form,” I shivered at the memory of the glares, the chuckles, and the taunts that came my way from the First and Second years. I was so mad that I had stormed off, leaving practice early.

“Any of them giving you a hard time, Mayu?” Ukai pressed as if he noticed my discomfort from talking about it.

He leaned forward, his eyes were dark for a moment with a serious look. It almost felt like I was sitting across from a yakuza, that he might pull out a gun and start cleaning in front of me. I swallowed and lied.

“No.”

At the end of the night, Momoko walked Ukai to the door. He waved us goodnight as they stepped outside to talk. Mohi, Miku, and I rushed to the window to see if tonight would be the night.

“They’re sharing a laugh,” Mohi said, “Oh... his cheeks are so red and his fidgeting too. It’s going to happen.”

“No way,” I responded, “Momoko would feel too guilty. You saw how many beers he had.”

“I don’t know,” Miku chimed in, “They seem pretty close.”

“Can you girls give them some privacy?” Sasaki-san called from the kitchen, “I could use some help here too, you know.”

“Just a second,” Mohi said over her shoulder before turn her attention back to the window, “They’re getting closer. He’s touching her arm!”

In her 23 years of living, Momoko had never had a boyfriend before. The only time she had kissed someone it was for a school play and she grimaces at the mere mention of it. Ukai was very different from any man she had been around. He smoked, cursed, was slightly irritable, but had shown that he could be tender and sweet. If Momoko ever missed a day of work, there was no doubt in my mind that he would be pounding on the door, and come barreling through the house with soup, tea, and medicine to take care of her. He had mentioned to us off the cuff, when Momoko was out of earshot, that she was too good for him, but he hoped that maybe one day, he’d be worthy for her.

We watched as his hand cupped her cheek, pulling her closer till their lips met. Miho was ready to scream, but I quickly covered her mouth before she let it out. The exchange maybe lasted for 30 seconds before they broke apart. Few more words were exchanged before they wished each other goodnight and Ukai disappeared into the night. We rushed to the door once Momoko was back inside.

“So did he proposed marriage? Are we getting a brother? When is the wedding?” Miho asked a mile a minute.

“Did we just witness your first kiss?” Miku asked over Miho.

“You do realize this changes everything for you and Keishin-san, right?” I interjected.

“Oh, don’t ruin the moment, Mayu,” Miho snapped, “Momoko, you’re practically glowing. You’re going to make a lovely spring bride.”

“Don’t jump to conclusions, Miho,” Momoko said as she made her way past us and to the kitchen, “Keishin-san just had a little too much to drink.”

Her cheeks were still red, there was a smile that dared to show on the corner of her mouth, and she was refusing to make eye contact with us.

“There’s something you’re not telling us,” Miku picked up as we followed behind her, “This isn’t the first, is it?”

“What are you talking about?” Momoko defended with a laugh in her voice as she picked up the dishrag to Sasaki-san, “Keishin-san was just showing how much he appreciated my help.”

“Is that what employers do, now?” I asked as I took dry dishes from the drying rack and began to put them away.

“Mayu, what is this about you cooking again?” she asked as a way to direct attention to me.

“It’s nothing…” Now, it was my turn to deflect.

“Come on, Mayu. The last time you cooked it was for a boy named Nao, right?” she teased as the others encroached on me.

The rest of the night was filled with teasing and laughter as Sasaki-san seemed to be confused but shared a smile. Clearly, he was glad to see some life in his house.

As we wished each other goodnight, I stayed up a little bit later, looking up more Karasuno volleyball games to get a better feel of the team. Members had clearly changed over time, a balance was clearly off right now. It seemed to be that the team had lost its spark and had a lack of guidance. It was clear at one point they were champions, even winning nationals. It was strange how unusual their team dynamic was, even having such a short player as their Ace at one point. Out of curiosity, I decided to look up the last coaches Karasuno had. The most recent one that had just retired had a name that was very familiar. _Ukai…_ Did Keishin have any relation? Doing a further deep dive I found out that not only was Keishin related but had also played for Karasuno nearly 8 years ago. Watching some of his highlights I could find, he was really good. His control of the ball was nearly that of a professional player. Any direction he wanted it to go, it went there to the best player, earning them each point. So if Karasuno was in need of a coach, why had no one called him? Unless this was he was who Sensei Takeda was calling? Maybe that’s why he had taken a sudden interest in my school life.

A knock at my door interrupted my thought, turning my attention to my eldest sister in the doorway.

“Mayu, it’s nearly 1 in the morning. You should be asleep by now,” she said with concern.

She noticed my laptop was open with a photo of Ukai from his high school days. I slammed it shut before she had a chance to fully grasp what I was looking at and turned back towards her.

“Just catching up on homework. Big test tomorrow,” I lied, stretching and yawning as I stood up from my chair, “You should be going to bed soon too, right? Another big day at the store. Don’t want your boyfriend to catch you with bags under your eyes.”

She looked up at me, studying my face for a moment, and smiled.

“I know these adjustments been hard for,” Momoko said as she leaned against the door frame.

“Hard?” I scoffed, “There’s nothing really hard about living here.”

“Be honest with me, Mayu,” she sighed, “Did you break that gym window on purpose?”

“What? Momoko, why would you even accuse me of that? It wasn’t even entirely my fault!”

“Mayu…” she began, stopping herself from whatever she was going to say before just smiling at me, “I remember how excited you were when you played your first match. You were just radiating this light that I had never seen from you before. You had so many friends and Mom and Dad loved every game you were in,” she paused as she laughed, “Remember when they made us wear shirts with your number on it?”

The picture was framed on my desk of that day. It was before the Interhigh tournament when I just joined the high school. I was lucky to even be starting as a First year at Tsubakihara. Miku wanted hers to resemble close to my jersey while Miho had painted daisies and cherry blossoms on hers. Momoko’s was very simple, just blue with the gold numbers.

“I miss those days. I miss watching you play,” she continued as she took my hand, “This hasn’t been easy for any of us. I know Miho sometimes still cries at night when she thinks no one can hear her, but when she sees the glimmers of happiness from her sisters, she just radiates. Who knows, maybe if there is a spring wedding, she’ll just burst.”

She reached up and kissed my cheek before wishing me a good night. I closed the door and stared at the wood for a moment. There was no denying it now. Momoko was in love. Mom and Dad would have been so thrilled to see her as a bride and maybe they would have like Keishin as an in-law. Knowing Mom, she would have fussed over his smoking, but Dad would have bummed a cigarette off of him now and then. I rubbed my face and sighed as I laid in my bed. Would Keishin want to coach? He probably way too much on his plate to even consider that. Then my mind drifted to Asahi. A gentle soul who looked like he could knock down walls had a hard time seeing on the other side. Would Keishin be the answer? Would Takeda try to make me “coach” again? I grimaced at the thought of going through that again. I yawned, turned off my light, and turned over in my bed


	7. Opening Up

I arrived to the campus late. It wasn’t on purpose, I just forgot to set the alarm. Rather than pushing myself, I took my time putting on my uniform, eating my breakfast, and walking with Miku. This would have seemed pretty normal for any Third year, however didn’t go unnoticed by Sawamura Daichi. The tall boy with short brown hair was waiting by the gates, arms crossed and glare set. I told Miku to go on ahead as I walked over to him.

“You weren’t at morning practice today,” he stated in the manner a father would scold a child for being late getting home, “It’s not that Kiyoko can’t do the work on her own, but you’re now part of this team and as a member of this team, you have responsibilities to uphold.”

“Then where is your libero, Captain?” I fired back, “Or your Ace? Or the rest of your team? You expect me to put up with being belittled and laughed up because... because... of my gender? Because of who I am?”

“I agree it wasn’t fair for Takeda to put you on the spot,” he sighed.

“No, it wasn’t,” I spat.

“But he was just trying to inspire the team,” he added as his gaze softened, “You come from a better school than us. Heck, when you look up your stats, Yui wanted to recruit you for the girls’ team.”

“Then why didn’t she?”

A smirk grew across his face.

“I thought you weren’t interested in playing again,” he pointed out, making me blush and look away.

“I’m not,” I lied as I played with the strap of my gym bag, noticing there was a loose thread.

“Anyways, we have a training match coming up with Aoba Johsai and I want our First years to be on point for the game. Maybe if you work with them a little, they won’t be so on edge.”

“A training match? This early?”

“Interhigh tournament will be here before you know it. I’m sure you’re counting down the days till then,” he responded before looking over me, “Asahi!”

I looked over to find him approaching the school. He looked frantic as if trying to find a way to avoid interacting with the captain. Then his eyes fell on me and he seemed to relax a little. His gaze shifted between the two of us as if trying to get a reading on what might be happening.

“Glad to see you’re still alive,” Daichi commented as he patted Asahi’s shoulder.

“Yeah… alive… for now,” he repeated as gave his friend a half-smile.

“You think you’ll come to practice today?” Daichi asked as Asahi seemed to shift from foot to foot, trying to figure out a way to get out of it.

“Gee… you know, I have this exam that’s coming up that I really need to cram for, so I don’t think I’ll be able to,” he lied and I raised an eyebrow, “Umm… Mayu, do you want me to walk you to class?”

I blushed at the sound of him using my first name. He hadn’t done that before and he must have noticed.

“I’m sorry. That was completely rude of me, Nishikawa,” he fumbled as he waved his hands in defense, “If you don’t, I completely understand...”

“It’s fine, Azumane,” I answered, stopping him from making a complete fool of himself, “Just... wait for me at the entrance.”

“Yeah, sure. No problem,” he turned to the captain, “See you, Daichi.”

When he was an earshot away, I turned to meet Daichi’s intrigued glance.

“What?”

“Nothing,” he responded as he smirked, “So, I’ll see you at practice then? This afternoon.”

“Yeah,” I sneered, “Sure. Whatever.”

I walked over to where Asahi stood, off to the side, against a wall scrolling through his phone. With every step, I could still feel Daichi watching me. I didn’t like it. It felt like he was trying to get a read on me, studying me like I was his next opponent.

“Hey,” I said out loud, getting Asahi’s attention. He looked up at me beginning to smile before noticing my uneasy energy.

“Something wrong?” he asked as he stood up and looked over at Daichi, “Did he say something to upset you?”

I looked back over my shoulder to find Daichi walking across the courtyard to a group of girls. He smiled at them as they giggled around him, each one wanting to say something to him that would get him to notice them. As if sensing it, he looked up at me and smirked. I turned away and shook my head.

“No. Just reminding me of my probation,” I answered before heading into the school.

“Probation?” Asahi chuckled as he followed behind me, “Is that what they’re calling? I mean it could be worse. You could have been suspending or sent to a correctional school.”

“Look it was just a window, Azumane. It’s not like a purposely vandalized school property or started a fight.”

“I bet you have a mean right hook,” he continued to tease as he threw a couple of fake punches, “You know there was this rumor they started about you when you arrived.”

“Really?” I asked as I raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah, apparently students believed you were in a gang back Yokohama.”

“No, they didn’t.”

“Hey, when you’re standoffish with a brooding aura, people tend to stay back.”

“Then why aren’t you afraid of me?” I asked as we stopped outside of the classroom. I faced him dead on, blocking his way from entering the room. Not that I could stop him. He was a head taller than me and was built like a refrigerator. If anything, he could just walk past me without even flinching. So, he stood there, his soft, brown eyes meeting mine. I noticed his Adam’s apple bob. It was his sign whenever he was starting to feel nervous. His grip tightened slightly on the strap of his backpack as he shifted his weight from side to side.

“I know what that’s like,” he answered, “People look at me and see a 25-year-old who must have been held back a couple of years. Here, they might see your streaks, your scoffed sneakers, your stand stance, and see a mean girl, but that’s not you.”

I was taken back by his comments. I wasn’t sure what to say. I glared up at him and felt my right hand form a fist.

“You don’t know anything about me,” I glowered.

“No, but I’d like to,” he said simply with a small smile, “From one Ace to a middle blocker, it’s our jobs to look intimidating, but deep down, we’re just big softies.”

“I’m not soft.”

“Your Hello Kitty keychain says otherwise,” he said as he pointed at the little cat with a collar hanging from my gym bag.

“That’s Chococat,” I corrected only making his laugh again.

“Cute. Very cute.”

The right corner of my mouth curled and I let out a small giggle as the bell rang. We walked and took our seats, exchanging glances as the teacher went over morning announcements. It was nice to laugh, to truly laugh. I had a warm feeling in the pit of my stomach. It felt like electricity was pulsing through my body. I felt like I hardly took notes during the first lessons of the day. I actually could still feel myself smiling to myself. Asahi did something that no guy had ever done for me before. He made me feel like a girl.

When we were dismissed for lunch, Asahi bought me my milk and his juice before walking over to our picnic table. (Well, it wasn’t really our picnic table, but it felt more special now.) We sat across from each other, unpacking our lunches as I gave him one of my misshapen rice balls. He took it with a smile, thanked me, and took a big bite. We talked through lunch about our home lives. He mainly talked about his mom and his older sister, what it’s like growing as the only “man” in the house, but he didn’t fault them for anything.

“What are your parents like?” he asked before taking a bite of one of his octopus weenies. He seemed to have noticed he caught me off guard, but I quickly recovered before he could unleash a mountain of apologies.

“They died over winter break,” I admitted, my chest feeling heavy as I remember the events, “They had left for a nice evening before New Year’s and were hit by a semi that lost control on the ice. They thought my dad would pull out of his coma, but he passed by the time he was admitted into the hospital. My mom was killed from the impact.”

A heavy pause fell over us as Asahi clicked his chopsticks. He looked like he was trying to find the right words to say, but I took a deep breath and continued my story.

“I wasn’t going to be captain on the girls’ team. Maybe a co-captain, but my team came to the funereal, paid their respects and just held me as I cried. That’s when I found out I was leaving and coming here,” I gestured towards the school, “I quit because the support I had is gone.”

“Mayu,” he said softly, “I’m sorry.”

“For what? It’s not like you were driving that semi,” I responded as the bell rang.

We gathered our things and started heading back to the school.

“I thought for sure I was going to hate this school,” I admitted.

“Really?”

“Well, when the closest thing to do around here is hanging out at the convenient store your store works at, then there’s literally nothing to do.”

Asahi let out a chuckle and I gave him a small smile.

“If it means anything to you, I’m glad you’re here,” he said as we entered the classroom.

Those words stuck with me for the rest of the day till I had to make my way over to the gym. Asahi offered to walk me over till Shimizu showed up. She wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to flake on her like I did this morning.

“Coming, Nishikawa?” she asked as she looked over the frame of her glasses.

“Yeah, sure,” I answered with a roll of my eyes. I waved Asahi off and he waved back.

“Hey, Mayu,” he called out as we walked down the corridor, “Don’t let those guys get to you. They're big softies like you.”

“I’m not soft!” I answered back as I shot a glare over my shoulder.

When I faced ahead, I smiled to myself. I’m so glad I had met Asahi.


	8. Influence

I didn’t really care for Ryūnosuke Tanaka. He was loud, obnoxious, and often liked to flex whenever he scored one point. I threw a towel at him once when he came over to bother Shimizu for one. Not to mention he didn’t care for any advice I was willing to give.

“ _I mean that may work on the girls’ team, but boys are clearly just stronger,”_ he had said as an offhanded remark when trying to advise Yamaguchi Tadashi on making a better serve. Finally getting annoyed with his antics on how dainties girl players were, I called over to Shimizu to throw me a ball and got Sugawara to be my setter. I threw off my jacket to the side as I planted myself at the right corner of the court.

“Ready!” I called out and Shimizu tossed the ball over the net to me.

I could still hear Tanaka’s taunts and teases to the other Second years, but my focus stayed on the ball coming my way. Hands folded together, arms extended and flat, I got low and hit the ball towards the setter. As it made its way towards Sugawara, I began to run. Having long legs, I didn’t have to take many steps. By the time I was at the net, Sugawara pushed the ball back in the air, sailing it towards me. Without thinking, I jumped, pulled my right arm back, and sent the ball back over. It smacked the ground with a loud thud that reverberated through the entire gym, stunning the boys to silence. I wiped my head around and glared at the skinhead.

“You want to run that by me again, baldy?” I asked as he stiffened up.

He didn’t say another word to me for the rest of the practice. However, Hinata couldn’t stop circling me. He asked me about tactics, tricking, training exercises to make himself stronger. I finally told him he should focus on growing taller, which seemed to make him back off. In the corner of the gym, I spotted Sugawara laughing as the red-headed First year went to sulk for a moment.

“You’re really that heartless, huh?” he stated as he helped me pick up some of the balls that had been left on the gym floor.

“I’m not heartless, just stating facts,” I told him.

“You know a lot of guys would like to have your height and strength,” he said, “Ha, I even remember that girls’ game we watch. You were a beast.”

I glared at him, but he held his hands up in defense.

“I meant it as a compliment. Please don’t hit me with that ball. It’s amazing what your muscles remember though, huh? You’re not even playing on a team, but your body still knows how to hit every ball that comes your way,” he shrugged, “It’s rather impressive.”

“I’m doing what you guys want, right?” I asked, “You don’t have a coach and needed someone to help whip these First years into shape. Can’t let a delinquent do that.”

“Tanaka isn’t that bad once you get to know him,” Sugawara answered as we turned to find him stuffing volleyballs up his shirt to form a pair of breasts and begin mimicking some of my traits. When I wanted to throw a ball at him, Diachi got to him first, making him do 100 pushups for goofing off.

“Daichi saw you and Asahi together,” he continued, making me look back at him.

“Meaning?” I asked, raising a brow.

“He thinks that you can convince him to come back to the team.”

I threw my head back and laughed.

“Come on, Nishikawa,” Sugawara sighed, “You’re a girl. You must have some level of influence on him. Most girls do when it comes to guys.”

“I’m here to repay a debt and that’s it,” I snapped, “Your captain should have more influence over his teammates to not leave in the first place.”

His shoulders slump as he looked down at the basket full of balls. I started to get worried that I might have said something wrong. I was about to apologize, but Shimizu came back to the gym with a bag. She walked over to me and handed it to me.

“Your tracksuit,” she said before walking away, “You’re expected to wear it for the Aoba Johsai match tomorrow.”

“Aoba Johsai?” Was the tournament that soon?

“Before you get too excited, it’s just a training match,” Sugawara chimed in, “They’ve invited us to play a couple of rounds.”

“With the state that your team is in?”

He simply shrugged, reaching for my bag and pulled out the black jacket.

“It may not be that brilliant gold your team used to wear, but the color does suit you,” he said as he opened it up for me to see that back.

My heart sunk for a moment. It had Karasuno’s name in white characters. Underneath it spelled out _Manager_.

Before I left, Tsubakihara had just gotten new uniforms for the season. They were amazing. Gold numbers with blue outlining them on white polo shirt and whites with a gold trim. Our libero was in a gold set. We were dressed like winners because we were winners. We were national champions in the spring and it was amazing. When people saw us just from a distance, we glowed. We were told that we would blind the competition not only with our skills but with our style. I remember the excitement I felt when I saw my new number and when they told me I was a starter, I cried. Now, as I looked at the black jacket with the white characters, I felt like a part of me was gone.

I took the jacket, placed it back in the bag, and left the gym.

As I got to the gate, I stopped to find Asahi waiting there. He leaned against the wall, phone in hand with the afterglow of the sunset hitting his face just right. The halo made him look so warm like if I were to touch him, some of that warmth would radiate in me. He looked up, saw me, and smiled. He waved before pushing himself off of the wall and walking up to me.

“Hey Mayu,” he said softly as he stood in front of me. I must have looked stunned to see him because his smile shifted to a worried look. “Something wrong?”

“No,” I shook my head, “I’m just… a little confused. Shouldn’t you be home?”

“Yeah, well,” he rolled his shoulders and looked off to the side as his cheeks seemed to turn a little pink, “I figured you’d might like someone walking you home.”

“Oh…” I could feel myself blushing.

“You know, I’ve seen you walk past my house on the way to school every morning, but not in a creepy way or anything,” he stammered, “As in you kind of look like a zombie… Not that you are a zombie! I mean mornings are hard. I hated morning practices too…”

His rambling went on for so long, I started to get concerned, but every time I’d tried to interrupt, he’d just get louder and more frantic.

“Asahi!” Tanaka’s voice pierced the air as the rest of the team approached us, “Knew you couldn’t stay away forever!”

He slung an arm over Asahi’s shoulder and punched his side playfully.

“Maybe show up to practice next time, big guy,” he laughed as I took a step back.

The others started to surround him, pushing me out and making me an outlier of that group. They jumped him, teased him, tried to rag on him as he looked at the boys around him nervously. And just like that, I was forgotten about. He was smiling at them, allowing them a chance to bask in his glow. Not that they deserved it. These stupid boys, who treated me like I was second to nothing, were getting to be with him. I don’t know why it made me mad, but I could feel my hands balling into fists as my nails dug into my palms. This was stupid, so stupid. I didn’t mean anything to him and he didn’t mean anything to me. So, I walked to the gates and headed down the road. That was silly of me to get ahead of myself. Asahi was probably just looking for an excuse to still hang out with his friends without being on the team.

“Mayu!” I turned after hearing someone calling my name. Asahi took long strides to catch up with me.

“You never answered my question,” he said with a huff as he caught his breath. I stared at him for a moment as he hunched over his knees before looking over his shoulders to find the team looking at us. Daichi and Sugawara seemed to be exchanging glances between each other before the captain leaned over to whisper something in his co-captain’s ear. Asahi stood up and rubbed the back of his neck. “So, um… can I?”

I licked my lips as his eyes met mine. A warm sensation came over me as a soft smile grew across his face. My heart was singing as something inside felt like screaming for joy. He left them to be with me, but then I thought back to what Sugawara.

_“You’re a girl. You must have some level of influence on him.”_

Sugawara’s gold eyes met mine for a moment as the others tried calling Asahi back to them. The team was in poor shape. It was missing one of its strongest members, but why should I care?

“Sure, Asahi,” I smiled, “I’d loved the company.”


End file.
